1-seed Tigers advance to Elite 8 over Georgia

Megan Bornkamp scored her second of goal in three days late to force overtime versus Georgia. (Clemson athletics photo)

by TigerNet Staff - Sun Nov 19 16:53:22 GMT-04:00 2023

The 1-seed Clemson women’s soccer team is Elite, clinching a spot in the final eight of the NCAA Tournament over 4-seed Georgia in penalty kicks, 5-3, at Riggs Field on Sunday.

With Clemson holding a 4-3 advantage in penalty kicks, ACC goalkeeper of the year Halle Mackiewicz dove to her right for the first save of the round, and Samantha Meredith sent her shot on the ground to the same side under Georgia goalkeeper Kenzie Solomon’s dive to clinch the win and send the Tigers to the next round.

Clemson (18-3-3) advanced to its sixth Elite 8 all-time and will host 2-seed Penn State at Riggs Field next Saturday, November 25, at 1:00 p.m.

“I think you saw two very good teams today and this is what the NCAA Tournament is all about,” Head Coach Eddie Radwanski said, via news release. “We knew Georgia was going to be a formidable opponent and I thought we played really well today. This game is about taking chances, great response from our team with coinciding a goal so late and you just saw what the Clemson Tigers are all about. They dug down, they never gave up, reached deep inside and found a way to make it happen. I’m just impressed with our kids' resiliency and the fact that they wanted to win, they wanted to advance and sometimes you have to do whatever it takes.”

Neither team put a shot on net in the first half. Georgia threatened there most on a quick breakaway and a Tori Penn shot that rolled wide of the net. Clemson answered with its lone shot of the half a minute later on a Makenna Morris volley across her body that rolled wide right of the net. The Bulldogs finished the first 45 minutes with a 4-1 shot advantage.

The first shot on net of the game came from Clemson’s Dani Davis in the 52nd minute, which Georgia’s Jordan Brown saved. Davis threatened again in the 59th minute, but Brown dove for the ball before Davis could put a shot on goal in the one-on-one.

Caroline Conti fired a good chance for the Tigers that was saved in the 81st minute, bringing Clemson to an 8-6 shots advantage and a 3-0 shots on goal edge.

Georgia broke through on a set piece from a corner kick where Croix Bethune’s shot from just outside the box and center of goal deflected off a Clemson defender and just through Mackiewicz’s hands in the 84th minute.

The Tigers ramped up the pressure from there, however, and Megan Bornkamp scored her second goal of the weekend on a breakaway where she chipped the Georgia goalkeeper to set up her own game-tying goal in the 88th minute. Another Clemson breakaway from Morris nearly clinched the game in the final minute of regulation time, but Brown saved the shot.

Mackiewicz deflected a Georgia breakaway from Hannah White in the fifth minute of the first overtime period, and she notched a fifth save of the game shortly after. Georgia had another one-on-one try from Bethune in the fifth minute of the second overtime that Mackiewicz was positioned well in for the save. Clemson got the last good chance of the second OT period, with Morris forcing the save from Brown in the 110th minute of the game.

Clemson entered the game having out-shot its first two NCAA Tournament opponents 38-4, scoring two goals apiece in those matchups with Radford and Columbia.

Clemson and Georgia played to a 1-1 draw in Athens earlier this season.

Regional 2-seed Penn State advanced to face the winner next week with a 4-3 overtime home win over Saint Louis.